Or the counter argument is you do the best you can with the talent available.
It's not like the Docker's had a list chock full of 'instinctive' talent when he came across. I could argue his tough love on Walters ultimately produced one such player but maybe I should break it down a bit more to assist my explanation.
I would argue RL gives certain players, usually forward of centre, a licence to use their natural flair. Walters, Ballas, Milne to name a few. Maybe that's because errors in the forward line generally don't hurt you on the scoreboard. Fyfe, Pav and others who float between centre & forward also tend/ed to use their instincts to good effect in the air and on the ground. No surprise those types are out and out champions.
AAJohnno also uses his footy instincts to good effect to intercept/side-step opponents and Luuuuukkkkke would also take the game on with his pace and aerial skills to good effect when his body was up to it.
And in the end that's what the key is - letting A grade players operate on 'instinct' has less negatives than positives. Letting everyone do the same thing does not tend to work so well when players confuse their abilities with their ambitions.
In the back half, errors kill you on the score board and when you're a side light on for key forwards that can keep you in a high-scoring goal fest - that usually means more losses than wins.
We're in a sport, like most, that ultimately judges you on wins and losses. If that means you need to restrict the opposition from scoring by tempering the natural 'flair' of the defenders given that task - to ensure the score you CAN put on the board wins more games than not - well, I call that good coaching.
So in conclusion, I don't think it a black and white issue. I believe their is enough evidence to suggest Roly does allow (certain) players to trust their instincts and the rest can do as they're damn well told.
Does that clarify it enough for you, Shane? This typing on a phone is torture...